Augmented reality environments are useful for making measurements of physical spaces and objects therein, by providing a view of the physical space and enabling a user to superimpose measurements on the physical space and objects therein. But conventional methods of measuring using augmented reality are cumbersome, inefficient, and limited. In some cases, conventional methods of measuring using augmented reality are limited in functionality. In some cases, conventional methods of measuring using augmented reality require multiple separate inputs (e.g., a sequence of gestures and button presses, etc.) to achieve an intended outcome (e.g., through activation of numerous displayed user interface elements to access different measurement functions). In addition, conventional methods take longer than necessary, thereby wasting energy. This latter consideration is particularly important in battery-operated devices.